# Count down to December 19th ... Electorial College voting day **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 10, 2016, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359 "2016-11-10T14:31:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/121 "2016-12-13T00:10:45Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I don’t know how you’re quantifying things like “so much admiration” or where your cut-off is for “ruthless” vs non-ruthless authoritarian dictators, or how you’re quantifying the “recently” in recently-retired, but do you feel like this is a statement of fact, supported by some research into past presidents and their nominees that you’ve done, or should I just take it as a bit of editorial flair which isn’t really supported by an underlying factual basis? You should take it as the result of paying attention to history. Argue against it as you may, there will still be those who believe that paying attention to history is a _good_ thing. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/122 "2016-12-13T14:55:27Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > In what specific way does “integrity of the election process and the people that counted the votes,” hamper the success of the lawsuit you linked to? Demanding a hand count is saying that they did not and do not trust the way the votes were counted in their county due to the thoughts that the electronic votes were tampered with. Yet they have no proof and the news afterwards of other recounts have also proven useless. The system works for the winner, right? If Hillary had of won these same people would’ve not even have been heard from. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/123 "2016-12-15T14:30:15Z")
All signs point to just another electoral college voting day, ho hum: [http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-electoral-voters-speak-and-theyre-not-out-for-a-revolt/ar-AAlAxyj?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp](http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-electoral-voters-speak-and-theyre-not-out-for-a-revolt/ar-AAlAxyj?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp) > [@](#): > > The Associated Press tried to reach all 538 electors and interviewed more than 330 of them, finding widespread Democratic aggravation with the electoral process but little expectation that the hustle of anti-Trump maneuvering can derail him. For that to happen, Republican-appointed electors would have to stage an unprecedented defection and Democrats would need to buck tradition, too, by peeling away from Hillary Clinton and swinging behind a consensus candidate in sufficient numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/124 "2016-12-15T18:58:23Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > All signs point to just another electoral college voting day, ho hum: > > [MSN](http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-electoral-voters-speak-and-theyre-not-out-for-a-revolt/ar-AAlAxyj?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp) > [@](#): > > The Associated Press tried to reach all 538 electors and interviewed more than 330 of them, finding widespread Democratic aggravation with the electoral process but little expectation that the hustle of anti-Trump maneuvering can derail him. For that to happen, Republican-appointed electors would have to stage an unprecedented defection and Democrats would need to buck tradition, too, by peeling away from Hillary Clinton and swinging behind a consensus candidate in sufficient numbers. That’s why I think Clinton should consider asking her electors to vote “President: John McCain; Vice President: Hillary Clinton.” The GOP electors just aren’t going to vote for a Democrat–not even those with misgivings about Trump. And as we know, they are not all devoted Trump fans. Give them a moderate, non-extremist Republican to vote for–and enough of them might do it. It would take only 38 of them, IF all the Democratic electors voted for the same moderate Republican. (Wouldn’t have to be McCain. I’m not a fan of his views or policies but they would be a far sight better for the nation and the world than Trump’s would be. McCain is a long-time Republican and a war hero and has stood up to Trump. That, and Hillary’s recommendation, might be enough to persuade the Democratic electors.) ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/125 "2016-12-15T19:10:28Z")
I think you’re kidding yourself if you think HRC could get all 232 Dem electors to vote for John McCain. She can’t even get them all to vote for _her_. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/126 "2016-12-16T00:18:54Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I think you’re kidding yourself if you think HRC could get all 232 Dem electors to vote for John McCain. She can’t even get them all to vote for _her_. That doesn’t make sense. If some Democratic electors are disdainful of Clinton, as you claim, then wouldn’t they jump at the chance to vote for someone _else_ for President? You seem to be attempting to paint Democratic electors as being erratic or unpredictable. Have you any evidence supporting such a claim? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/127 "2016-12-16T02:19:25Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > You seem to be attempting to paint Democratic electors as being erratic or unpredictable. Have you any evidence supporting such a claim? [http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d3a1c10593c44da58bb611ef09101214/washington-state-elector-says-he-wont-vote-clinton](http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d3a1c10593c44da58bb611ef09101214/washington-state-elector-says-he-wont-vote-clinton) But I really wasn’t trying to paint ALL Dem electors as erratic. I’m sure many of them are fairly run-of-the-mill Dems, and as run-of-the-mill Dems, they probably find the idea of voting for a Republican, even one as moderate as John McCain, to be personally distasteful. It wouldn’t surprise me if HRC could convince the majority of her electors to back McCain, but we’re talking about 232 died-in-the-wool, true-blue Dems. I don’t tink ALL of them would do it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/128 "2016-12-16T02:33:55Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > That doesn’t make sense. If some Democratic electors are disdainful of Clinton, as you claim, then wouldn’t they jump at the chance to vote for someone _else_ for President? They might well prefer to vote for somebody else for President, but that somebody wouldn’t be for John McCain. “Hey, Democratic electors. Hillary here. Look, I know that even though you’re pledged to me, some of you don’t feel great about it. You worry I’m not progressive enough. You worry I have ties to big business. So I have an idea. How about instead of voting for me, you vote for right wing Republican Senator John McCain. You know, the guy we all mobilized against back in 2008, revealing how terrible he was? That guy. Look. Just consider it. Anyway, I have to go. I’ll email you.” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/129 "2016-12-16T04:09:04Z")
Suppose that a sizable number of Trump electors defect - but not enough to prevent Trump from being president. Would that send a message to Trump in any way, or would he preside the same way with 270 EVs as he would with 306 EVs? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/130 "2016-12-16T15:49:52Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Suppose that a sizable number of Trump electors defect - but not enough to prevent Trump from being president. Would that send a message to Trump in any way, or would he preside the same way with 270 EVs as he would with 306 EVs? I doubt it would make a difference, but it’s not going to happen, and even if it did, there’d be no way of knowing if that were him governing more moderately, or if we would’ve been just as moderate / extreme with 306 electoral votes. I predict Trump gets 305 electoral college votes. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/131 "2016-12-16T17:12:20Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > What kinds of problems hamper the potential success of this suit, Mr. Quatro? because they wanted these people to pay for the recount … > [@](#): > > at the expense of defendants including Trump, Gov. Rick Scott and the 29 Republican presidential electors from Florida. Friday, Saturday, Sunday … Just three (3) more days till the electoral college makes their votes known to the governor in each state. I’ll be glad when this part of the election is over and we can get on to more important things. Don’t we all have jobs to go to? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/132 "2016-12-16T18:51:14Z")
Imagine how intense the lobbying would be if the result from Election Night had been 270-268 either way. There’d be furious phone calling and mailing 24/7. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/133 "2016-12-16T19:04:28Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Imagine how intense the lobbying would be if the result from Election Night had been 270-268 either way. There’d be furious phone calling and mailing 24/7. Given the way the Dems have treated the electors this year, I hope that I live to see a narrow Dem election-night win overturned by the electoral college one day. It would be sweet, sweet justice. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/134 "2016-12-16T21:19:22Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > But I really wasn’t trying to paint ALL Dem electors as erratic. I’m sure many of them are fairly run-of-the-mill Dems, and as run-of-the-mill Dems, they probably find the idea of voting for a Republican, even one as moderate as John McCain, to be personally distasteful. It wouldn’t surprise me if HRC could convince the majority of her electors to back McCain, but we’re talking about 232 died-in-the-wool, true-blue Dems. I don’t tink ALL of them would do it. > [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > They might well prefer to vote for somebody else for President, but that somebody wouldn’t be for John McCain. > > “Hey, Democratic electors. Hillary here. Look, I know that even though you’re pledged to me, some of you don’t feel great about it. You worry I’m not progressive enough. You worry I have ties to big business. So I have an idea. How about instead of voting for me, you vote for right wing Republican Senator John McCain. You know, the guy we all mobilized against back in 2008, revealing how terrible he was? That guy. Look. Just consider it. Anyway, I have to go. I’ll email you.” Point being missed in both posts: The ‘have Hillary ask her electors to vote for a moderate Republican for President’ idea is _not_ about Democratic electors wanting a moderate Republican for President. _It’s about wanting to avoid the consequences of handing Presidential power to an unstable man-baby who’s desperate for a Russian dictator’s approval._ ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/135 "2016-12-16T21:28:53Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Point being missed in both posts: The ‘have Hillary ask her electors to vote for a moderate Republican for President’ idea is _not_ about Democratic electors wanting a moderate Republican for President. _It’s about wanting to avoid the consequences of handing Presidential power to an unstable man-baby who’s desperate for a Russian dictator’s approval._ I know. Democrats are all about trying to deny reality these days. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/136 "2016-12-16T21:30:04Z")
So you’re saying that the Electoral College votes have already occurred? ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/137 "2016-12-16T21:30:58Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > So you’re saying that the Electoral College votes have already occurred? I’m saying it’s fantasy-land quackery to think anything but “President Trump” will be the result. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/138 "2016-12-16T22:20:09Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Imagine how intense the lobbying would be if the result from Election Night had been 270-268 either way. There’d be furious phone calling and mailing 24/7. That would’ve been something else, uh? Social media would’ve exploded, riots would’ve erupted, oh wait a minute they did with people that didn’t even vote saying, Trump’s not our president" I suspect the Russian hacking news would’ve come out a lot sooner. Funny thing about all of this hacking news influencing the election coming out three days before the electors vote, plus I think a lot of people think the hacking part was about voting booths and machines and not just the DNC, which all it has been so far. The word hacking is so powerful … details we need details not rumors. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/139 "2016-12-16T22:30:12Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I’m saying it’s fantasy-land quackery to think anything but “President Trump” will be the result. That’s certain? You seem awfully worried about it. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359/140 "2016-12-16T22:41:03Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > That’s certain? You seem awfully worried about it. It’s as close to certain as I’ve been about anything in a long time. I’m curious though, what gives you the impression I’m “awfully worried about it”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/count-down-to-december-19th-electorial-college-voting-day/771359.md?page=8)